The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-04

Petersburg in 1904, and later on was pre-
sented by the Gar to the Russian colony at
Fort Ross, in what is now Sonoma county.
Fort Ross, you know, was established in
1911. Well, finally the gun was given to
Suffer- by the commandment of the fort, and
was then mounted on the wall of Fort
Suffer. When the flag of the United
States was hoisted over the fort at sun
rise on July ~, 1916, this venerable cannon
roared right Justify in honor of the event.
Subsequently the gun was used by Com.
Stockton in his advance from San Pedro to
Los Angeles, and it played a conspicuous
part in the engagement at San PasQual Dec.
G. 1916, and again at Los Angeles on Jan.
and 9, 1S47 The gun was then transferred
to Col Mason, of the First United
States Dragons, and he returned il 70 Sat-
ter, who gave it to the Pioneer Society.
What wonderful changes have been
wrought on this coast since that cannon was
landed here. Over there in the corner are
the horns of the OK that dragged that gun
from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles in 40
He was a sturdy old fellow, was that OK,
for he died peaceful death at the age of q
years"
Meanwhile the reporter had espied be-
meath table a small iron chest or treasure
box, the key in the lock- as if inviting the
rifiing of the "reminiscences within.
''What is that, Mr., Livingstone; the chest
of Monte Cristo"
"Wen, well, if there isn't the Jenkins
box! That little box has an exciting his
tory. Thirty-sx years ago, on June 10,
that iron box was in the shipping Office of
Virgin a. Co, on Long wharf, A man by
the name of John Jenkins picked it up and
started off with it. He was seen, pur-
sued and captured, but not before
| he had thrown the box into the bay.
That was a sorry deed for Jenkins, for that
very day the vigilantes took charge of him
and determined to make an example of him
| that should strike terror in the hearts of
| the lawless hordes thronging the city. Jen-
kins was tried by the vigilantes, convicted
and sentenced to death, and that night was
hanged to beam in the old adobe build
| ing on the plaza, relays of men
holding the rope all night. The vigilantes
didn't know anything about bill of excep-
tions or a stay of execution of Judgment
pending an appeal to the Supreme Court
| The box was presented to the pioneers by
| H. w. Neal and w. E. Domett, two of the
| oldest pilots in the harbor. That clock
over there was used by the vigilantes of SO
in their hall, and that break in the frame
was done by bullet"
While the pioneer editor had been re-
counting this tale of the troublous vigil
lante times the reporter had kicked up a
| surveyors chain, rusty with age and bat
i
nothing, but the inscription upon it, though
| terse, established the historical value of the
relic beyond doubt. The chain, so the in
scmption said, was used by Jasper O'Farrell
in laying off the city of San Francisco in
| 1874. O'Farrell was a State Senator, and
| from him the present O'Farreu street takes
its name. Close by the chain was placed
coffee pot once used by the millionaire
James Lick.
| Here is a relic, Mr.. Reporter, that recalls
our debt of gratitude to Lafayette, for it is
a slat from door of the ship Cadmus, which
| brought that nobleman to America on the
occasion of his visit in 1884. The vessel was
broken up in this harbor in 1853"
| THAT bell over there" continued Mr..
Livingstone, pointing with his cane to fire
alarm bell, twas the first ffre-alarm bell ever
in this city. 1t was the property of the old
| Monumental, No. 6, Volunteer Fire Com
| pany. The real interest lies in the fact that
this was the bell used by the vigilantes i'll
1856. 1t sounded the death knell of Casey,
| Cory and other Indicators executed by that
memorable committee.
| 81 suppose this shovelful of dirt has some
historical value or it would not be here, Mr.
Livingstone" remarked the reporter as he
pointed out his find.
Historical valued 1t ought to have some
for Californians, for it is the first shovelful
of dirt thrown when ground was broken
JAN s, 1868, for what is now the Central
Pacific railroad. You notice that piece of
a railway tie by it9 Well, that is a bit of
the last tie laid..a ,,Promontory Point May 10,
1869, when the road was finished San
Francisco had great celebration that day
| Cannons doomed, bells were tolled, the mill
| tary turned out in procession with civilians,
and orators aired their eloquence. We
thought California capable of anything,
and think we are all of the same opinion
| still.
"You see," said Mr.. Livingstone, ''that
| various articles are now in close juxtaposi-
ton that We're widely enough apart a few
years ago For instance, that wooden cap
you now have your hand on was the top of
| the liberty pole that stood on the plaza from
| 1850 to 1861 and there Just behind you is q
piece of timber from the Northeast corner
of the cabin occupied by the Inflated Don
ner party in 1916, away up amid the SHOWS
of the Sierras. That fragment of wood is
| from the ship Sparrow Hawk, wrecked off
Cape Cod in 1896, and that other chip is from
a fragment of the brig Natalia wrecked
at Monterey, Oct. IA, 1884. This last
vessel is said to have been the one on which
the great Napoleon escaped from Elba. That
| roughly-fashioned desk which takes up so
much room in the corner was used by Gen.
| Grant when, as a lieutenant, he was sta
| toned at Humboldt Traditions did say
hands, but when he was out here he knocked
that romance all to pieces Why" said Mr..
Livingstone with a laugh, Grant vowed
that he never could make even a sled, let
alone so ambitious piece of architecture as
a desk The military coat hanging near the
desk was, however, really and truly, as the
children say, worn by Grant at the surren-
der at Vicksburg The straps on it were
those worn by him during the Virginia
campaigns"
OFFICIAL MORTUARY REPORT